


Full Circle

by Himring



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen, The One Ring - Freeform, Warning for use of the term "violated", gold - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-27
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-18 14:33:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29735325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Himring/pseuds/Himring
Summary: Musings on the One Ring, on its creation, its nature, and its destruction.
Comments: 13
Kudos: 23
Collections: tolkienshortfanworks





	Full Circle

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [[podfic] One Ring to Bind Them: A Halachic Inquiry on the Occasion of Purim 5775](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10389774) by [Chestnut_filly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chestnut_filly/pseuds/Chestnut_filly). 



> For the community prompt "Full Circle" ( which asked for a piece ending with a repetition of the first line or with an allusion to it.)
> 
> Also inspired by Chestnut_Filly's podfic of Rymenhild's "One Ring to Bind Them: A Halachic Inquiry on the Occasion of Purim 5775" (highly recommended), although the concept and tone are both rather different!

In the beginning, it was just gold.

In the beginning, there was just fire, no matter that it burned in the heart of a volcano.

It took the power of Sauron and his purpose to forge that power and purpose into the gold. And if he himself ripped more out of himself than he intended and diminished himself, even as he increased the brute force at his disposal, the force he bent on the ring was also violence. As it was pure matter, it would be too much to say, perhaps, that it was violated without consent, as that might imply a different kind of pain, but it was never meant to hold such power, such purpose. Its innate music was shattered. To those deluded by it, it might sometimes seem very beautiful, but this plain band had been bent entirely out of shape. It was under enormous strain. Within this closed circuit, the will that had been fused into it was struggling constantly, if futilely, to free itself. Natural gold is prized because it is ductile; if the Ring’s alloy seemed unbelievably hard, it was in truth brittle, for anyone who had eyes to see. Yet, in that unnatural brittle state that had been imposed upon it, it endured for thousands of years.

Until it found itself back in the fire. It would be too much to say that it was relieved, perhaps, as that might imply a different kind of joy, but the tight-twisted bond snapped, the trapped will fled, the terrible, long strain eased, as it fell into the heart of the mountain.

And at last, once again, it was just gold.


End file.
